The cavalry did heavy work on the Confederate right. Gunner Neese, in his diary, tells an interesting anecdote of Stuart on the morning of the second day’s battle.
He says: “Our orders to hasten to the front this morning at daylight were pressing and urgent, and we had no time to prepare or eat breakfast, which greatly ruffled some of our drivers. When we drew near to the enemy’s line we awaited orders, and one of our drivers was still going through baby acts about something to eat and having no breakfast. Just then General Stuart and staff came along and halted a moment right in the road where we were and heard the grumbling and childish murmuring of our hungry man, and the general rode up to him and gave him two biscuits out of his own haversack.”
On the night of May 7, Grant began to move his army by the left flank to get between Lee and Richmond, but the movement was discovered at once and Fitz Lee’s cavalry was sent forward to delay the Federals until Longstreet’s infantry could come up. Fitz Lee’s men were at times dismounted, and they fought so stubbornly that Grant’s forces were held in check until the infantry by a rapid night march reached the entrenchments which had been hastily thrown up near Spotsylvania Courthouse.
I am going to tell you about the arrival of the infantry and the beginning of the next morning’s battle in the words of a private of the First Virginia cavalry.
He says: “We had been fighting and retreating all night, and at last, when near Spotsylvania Courthouse had thrown up slight entrenchments. Protected by Breathed’s guns, we were awaiting another attack. Suddenly we heard the steady march of infantry coming in our rear. The old fellows came swinging along in the moonlight, each one with his camp-kettle on his back and his long musket with its gleaming bayonet resting easily on his shoulder. Each man settled down by a dismounted trooper, glad to rest a little while, but full of quips and jokes. ‘Look here sonny,’ said one to me, picking up my carbine, ‘what’s this here thing for? Ef I was you I’d be feared of it; it might hurt somebody!’ But even talking was not permitted. Officers passed along, enjoining silence and ordering us not to fire until we could see the whites of the Yankees’ eyes.
“About daylight we heard loud cheering. Major Breathed had brought off one of his guns in the face of thousands of the enemy, and they were cheering! On came a blue line of battle eight deep calling out, ‘Come out, you dismounted cavalry! We know you are there.’
“Silence reigned behind the earthworks, but every gun was ready. When the Federals were well over the crest of the hill, the order rang along the line—‘Steady, aim, fire!’ Bang! went the carbines and muskets, and with piercing yells the Confederates leaped out of the works and rushed with gleaming bayonets upon the already retreating foe. The veterans had delivered so fierce and so well-directed a fire that the attack was not renewed at that position.”
A short while afterward, Stuart arrived with reenforcements. Major McClellan was the only member of General Stuart’s staff present during the brisk skirmishes of the morning. He says that Stuart exposed himself recklessly to the fire of the Federals, in spite of the earnest request of the infantry officers that he would retire to a safer position.
He sent Major McClellan on such seemingly unnecessary messages that after a while that officer thought that General Stuart was trying to shield him from danger, so he said, “General, my horse is weary. You are exposing yourself and you are alone. Please let me remain with you.”
But Stuart merely smiled kindly and sent him with another message.